As I look ahead to the coming year, my heart is set on one major goal: building a home for my family of eight. It is a dream that symbolizes security, comfort, and stability for us, and I have mapped out a strategy to turn this dream into reality. I plan on using $1000 to accomplish this task. My idea is to sell the tomatoes we cultivate as well as the profits from the goat trading business. It is a resource I can leverage to raise the necessary funds, and it is a testament to my determination to make this home-building goal a reality. I am excited and determined to embark on this journey. It will not be easy, but the thought of creating a stable and comfortable home for my family is what keeps me motivated. I am ready to put in the hard work, make strategic decisions, and see this dream through to fruition.

Receiving aid from GiveDirectly has been transformative for my community, including my own family of eight. Personally, my business has flourished, ensuring that we have food on the table and stability in our lives. While the support has been immense and incredibly beneficial, I hold no desire for the organization to alter its approach, as everything currently stands perfectly fine. I remain profoundly grateful for their assistance and hope for the possibility of additional transfers in the future to continue uplifting more families like mine.

When the opportunity arrived with the transfers, I am glad I took a bold step. I invested $180 in a heifer, a decision I hoped would not just secure food for my family but also create a stream of income. The vision was simple yet profound—to build a sustainable source of nourishment and financial stability that could withstand the trials of our unpredictable circumstances. That heifer was more than just a livestock purchase; it represented a future. With careful attention and nurturing, she would eventually provide milk, a vital source of nutrition for my family. Additionally, her offspring would offer a chance to expand our assets, creating a cycle of growth and sustenance. The remainder of the funds were channeled into expanding our goat trading business. As a family of eight, our livelihood hinged on this enterprise. It was not merely a trade; it was a lifeline during challenging times, particularly when droughts cast their harsh shadows over our land. Every decision was meticulously calculated to ensure the well-being of my family. The heifer was a foundational investment, aiming not just for immediate sustenance but for a future where we could thrive. And the goat trading business, our mainstay, was strengthened to weather any storm, particularly the droughts that often tested our resilience.

My main objective for this year is to venture into farming, specifically goat rearing, as it is an easy and profitable investment in my locality. Leveraging my initial investment and the last funds that I will received from Give Directly, I plan to increase my goat herd by an additional ten. These goats will be exclusively for business purposes.

My suggestion to Give Directly is to contemplate extending the duration of their program. Most beneficiaries are starting from the ground up, and the challenging demographic conditions of this region make sustainability difficult. An extended program could offer more support to those striving to make progress.

The second disbursement I received from Give Directly was significantly larger than the first, necessitating careful planning to ensure optimal usage of each dollar. I invested $183 in purchasing four goats, marking the commencement of my investment journey to secure the future of my family. I then spent $140 on procuring a month's supply of food for my family to make sure that as I go on with my plans, at least my family is comfortable. Additionally, I cleared my child's outstanding primary school fees with $13. Finally, in a first for me, I managed to acquire 15kgs of fertilizer for my tomato farm by spending $22.

I was filled with great anticipation and the hunger we experienced was unbearable. My joy knew no bounds when I confirmed the receipt of the transfer around 3:00 p.m., just as I was returning from taking my child, Kiptalam, back to school after the midterm break. I wasted no time in sharing the news with my extremely happy family. Without delay, I hurried to the nearby shopping center to collect and purchase the most essential food items to bring back home.

The biggest difference in my daily life after receiving the first payment is the abundant availability of food for my family of seven. Previously, we used to struggle with securing enough food and often relied on casual labor to meet our needs. However, with the funds received, I have been able to focus more on working on my farm to generate a greater quantity of foodstuff. This has significantly reduced our worries about hunger and provided a sense of security knowing that we have enough to sustain ourselves. The relief from the constant food shortage has brought a newfound stability and peace to our daily lives.

After collecting the money, I had a lot on my plate, but my first priority was addressing the food shortage that had been weighing on my family. I immediately purchased a sack of maize for $65 and 5 kg of beans for $10, factoring in a transportation cost of $2 to bring them home. The following day, I spent $30 on paying my son's boarding school fees, ensuring his education continued uninterrupted, as has been the case in previous terms. With the remaining funds, I decided to invest in repairing my motorcycle, purchasing a new tire for $30 and new oil for $5, allowing me to use it efficiently for transportation within the local shopping center. Recognizing the opportunity for additional income, I bought 1000 tomato seedlings for $38 and hired labor for $5 to plant them. I am glad they are doing well and hope for a bumper harvest in the next few weeks. Finally, I utilized the remaining $15 to purchase other necessary household goods, ensuring our basic needs were met.